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Kurt Handrich: Letter to the Editor

Over the past 27 years as a pastor, the president of the school board, and then a teacher in Beloit, I have been deeply moved by how our community has stood behind our kids. Which is also why I have also been so deeply saddened by those who are standing against this referendum saying our problems are our own fault and we need to say no to this referendum.

If this lack of funding was our own fault, why have there been 387 operating referendums from 421 school districts across Wisconsin since 2018, with over 83% of them passing, while the state holds back seven billion dollars in surplus?

The truth is our state has abandoned our children and if we truly care about them, as I have seen, then we must stand with our children. If 83% of the rest of the communities in Wisconsin can choose to stand with their children, why can’t we choose to stand with ours?

It’s a simple choice. Will we as a community support our children, or will we say no? Regardless of what anyone else is saying, that is the choice we face. I have already cast my ballot for our children and I voted YES for our children by voting YES on the School District of Beloit’s operating referendum. I call on you to do the same. Vote YES on April 2nd.

KURT HANDRICH